US Royalty Refunds

Looking for inspiration for your next ‘oeuvre’ or training for your next big event is time-consuming and exhausting and doesn’t leave much time for poring over IRS tax return forms.

We get US royalty refunds for sportspeople, musicians, artists and actors so if you've been working or performing in the US on a P, O, B1 or B2 visa we can help you apply for a royalty refund.

If you earned US royalties during the past three years, you will have had up to 30% tax deducted from your earnings. That extra income could come in very handy for you so it's worth claiming it back.

Look no further. Taxback.com will claim back most, if not all of the tax withheld from your US earnings as far back as the past three tax years if you weren’t a resident there during that time. Our US CPA and team of tax experts ensure you get back what you are owed under US tax law and international tax treaties.

?Do I have to file a US tax return?

Yes. US tax law requires everyone who works in the country to file a tax return – including foreign workers and non-residents on P, O and B Visas. If you don't file your tax return you could face penalties and interest on any money owed and this can affect future visa applications for the US.

?What is the April 15th deadline?

In the US this is known as Tax Day and it is the date that your income tax return for the previous tax year. If you don’t file your return by this date you could incur fines and penalties. Don’t worry though – you can claim your US tax refund for the last three years.

?How do I know if I'm a resident or non-resident for tax purposes?

If you're working in the US on a P, O, B1 or B2 Visa you will be treated as a non-resident for tax purposes unless you pass the “Substantial Presence Test”.

?What’s the Substantial Presence Test?

It is a test that will grant you status as a resident for tax purposes in the US. To pass the test you must have been physically present in the US for at least 31 days during the current year AND 183 days over the last 3-years. You can count all of the days you were present in the current year, 1/3rd of the days you were present in the year before that and 1/6th of the days you were present in the year before that.

?How much money will I get back?

How much money you get back varies from case to case but taxback.com customers receive an average refund of between $520 and $1008. We vow to get you back the maximum legal tax refund possible.

?How does Taxback.com work?

Simple – you register with us, fill out and send us your Tax Pack and W2/Final Cumulative Payslip, we process your documents and file your tax return for you, you can check the progress of your application any time via your own online Tax Tracker account, we get you the maximum tax refund possible and deliver it to you as quickly as possible.

?What is a W2 form?

The W2 form is the official government form that you receive from your employer(s) which shows the amount of money you earned and the amount of tax you paid for that employer. You receive it in January after the tax year ends.

In most cases we can use your Final Cumulative Payslip to claim your US tax refund, so if you have that, you can start your application today. However some US states only accept applications with the W2 form so if you've misplaced yours or you never received it, our document retrieval team can obtain one for you.

?What is a final cumulative payslip?

A final cumulative payslip is the payslip you receive with your final pay cheque in the US. It shows your total earnings and the amount of tax you paid for that employer.

We can use either your final cumulative payslip or your W2 form to file your US tax return. If you don't have your final cumulative payslip, our document retrieval team can organise a W2 form for you when the tax year ends.

?What is a CPA?

A Certified Public Accountant, or CPA, is a US accredited professional trusted by the IRS to approve whether tax returns are compliant with US tax law or not.

Our CPA has been ensuring all tax documents are compliant since 1994.

?How long will it take to get my US tax refund?

The total estimated time for your US income tax refund is 10-12 weeks.

?What happens during this time?

Once we receive your documents, it takes us around a week to process them, have them checked by our CPA and send them to the IRS.

Once they reach the Federal Tax Office, it will usually take around 6 – 8 weeks to process your application, although it depends on their workload – sometimes it can take longer, sometimes shorter.

The State Tax Office usually takes longer – around 3 to 9 months. We stay in contact will all tax offices to ensure speedy processing of your tax return.

Once approved, the tax office posts your refund through international mail which takes about 10 working days. As soon as we receive your refund, we contact you immediately to organise the best way to transfer it to you.

?How much will it cost?

For 2012-2009 US income tax refunds we charge 10% + handling fee of the refund received, subject to a minimum processing fee of $75 + handling fee for refunds up to $750.

If you are due a small refund from the US that does not cover our minimum fee, taxback.com offers a reduced fee to allow you to meet your US tax filing obligations and file your tax return.

?Why the minimum fee?

This fee covers all the vial services that you enjoy as a Taxback.com customer, including;

Document checking by our CPA24/7 Customer SupportOnline tracking serviceFree phone and free faxLocal staff to meet you and guide you through the processTax techniciansResearchers to identify new legal developments to maximise your refundsQuality assessment

?How do I know what's happening with my tax return?

You can see what’s happening with your application by checking your personal online Tax Traacker account.

If you’d rather talk to a human then you can ring your local taxback.com office, or talk to one of our representatives in live chat right now.

?When can I apply for my US tax refund?

You can apply for your tax refund at the end of the US tax year which runs from January to December. Now you can apply for a US tax refund as far back as three years.

?What if I don't have my documents?

To file your US tax return we need either your W2 form or Final Cumulative Payslip. If you don't have these documents our dedicated document retrieval team can get them for you. Email usdocuments@taxback.com to let us know you need this service. Our fee for US document retrieval services is US$25 + handling fee.

?What if I don't have a Social Security Card or Number?

No problem; we’ll just get a temporary number called for you called an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). Chat live with our staff now about getting one.

?Am I eligible to use an international tax treaty?

It depends on factors like your nationality and visa. When we receive your Tax Pack and documents, we’ll check if you’re eligible for any tax treaties to make sure you get the maximum tax refund possible.

?What taxes will I pay in the US?

You’ll pay three to four types:

1. Federal tax2. State tax3. Local tax4. FICA – You shouldn’t be charged this as temporary worker and will most likely be owed a refund if you were.

See our useful tax facts section for more information on these taxes.

?What taxes can you file for me?

Federal, State, Local and FICA tax.

?What's the difference between filing my US tax return and getting my US tax refund?

A tax return is document declaring the liability for taxation while a tax refund is the payment issued to you for an overpayment of a particular tax. We file your tax return in order to apply for your tax refund.

?Can you guarantee that I'll receive the refund amount you estimated for me?

No, we can’t, but we do guarantee to get you back the maximum legal tax refund possible by thoroughly assessing your application and applying all tax benefits and treaties you’re entitled to. Although, in the end, how much you get back depends on the tax office.

?Can you get tax refunds for me from other countries?

We sure can; click any of the countries below to claim a tax refund from that country.

Worked in a country not mentioned above? Email our team on newtaxes@taxback.com to see what we can do for you.

Royalty refund case-studies

Case Studies

Athlete on P-1 Visa*

As the winner of the 2008 Dublin City Marathon, Colin is invited by the Staten Island Athletics Club to run in the 2009 New York City Marathon. His visa, flight and hotel arrangements are organised and covered by the Staten Island Athletics Club.

Colin arrives in NYC on a P-1 visa on October 5th. After an exceptional run on October 7th, Colin finishes second in the marathon and receives $14,000 from the Marathon funds and a signed contract for several future events worldwide. Colin then leaves the US on October 8th and returns to Dublin. It is his only visit to the US during 2009.

Because he only spent 4 days in the US in 2009, Colin is considered a non-resident for tax purposes and therefore the Marathon organiser deducts 30% tax from his winnings, as required by the IRS.

When Colin receives his winnings by bank transfer he receives $9800 and a statement for the $4200 that was deducted from his gross winnings as federal income tax.

However, because Colin is a non-resident for tax purposes in the US and a citizen of Ireland, taxback.com can claim tax treaty benefits which exempt his winnings from US tax and allow him to receive a full refund of the $4200.

Opera Singer on O-1 Visa*

Jennifer is a famous Australian opera singer who is invited by Music Hall to take the role of Desdemona in Verdi’s Othello. She takes on a three week contract of two performances per week at $1500 per performance – making her gross earnings for the show $9000.

Jennifer arrives in the US on March 11th 2009 on an O-1 visa and returns to Australia on April 4th. It is her only visit to the US in 2009.

Because she only spent 24 days in the US in 2009, Jennifer is considered a non-resident for tax purposes. Therefore, Music Hall deducts 30% tax from her pay, as required by the IRS.

Jennifer receives her net earnings of $6000 by bank transfer to her account in Australia and $3000 of federal tax is paid to the IRS.

Because Jennifer was a non-resident for tax purposes in the US and is a citizen of Australia, her performance income can be exempt from US tax and taxback.com can use tax treaty benefits to help her claim a full refund of the $3000 of federal taxes.

*The people in these case studies are fictional and the scenarios have been provided for illustrative purposes only.